I don't know if this is the right place to post, although my engine is a TPI.
To put it bluntly I have rust on most of the cam lobs concentated at a certain spot on each of the affected lobs and not the entire lob. I think its due to a coolant leak I had a year ago that I have since fixed, but not before getting a lot of coolant mixed with oil. I pulled the engine this time cause I thought I had a bad ring due to alot oil blow by I was getting. Turns out it was just a bad lifter.
So should I leave the cam alone, pull the cam and have it polished, or is it ruined to wear I need a new cam?

 

Honestly if you have the motor out.....I'd do a quick cam swap. But thats my opinion.

 

I'm very happy with my cam and I would like to still use it. Also throwing money out the window isn't exactly appealing.

 

its fine just stick it back in, the rust will just wear off

 

its a lobe, not a lob. And if you put that rusty piece back in your engine and it will "wear off" you gotta think to yourself "do I want that rust floating around in my engine until my oil filter *might* catch it?"

 

I think the determining factor for whether to replace it or not would be if the rust has actually pitted the surface of the lobes or not. If it's not pitted, and it's just light surface rust, you can use some really fine grit emery cloth to polish the lobes back up. Go real lightly with 220 grit emery, then finish up with 400 grit. I know most people recommend just replacing the cam, but if you're that attached to your existing cam, this should take care of it. If it's pitted at all though, throw it in the trash and get a new cam. After sanding, make sure to clean the whole cam in a solvent parts washer, or a can of brake parts cleaner (use a lot), and a cotton rag to wipe it down. Then make sure to coat it with clean engine oil before re-installing.

 

I'd shy away from sanding it with anything as course as 220 or even 400. If it requires anything more than a polish with something like chrome cleaner to remove the rust I'd replace the cam.

 

You know, I really gotta agree. It was late when I typed that. Lol. That probably is too coarse. If you really want to go easy, you can always smear Naval Jelly on it, and wipe it down, and then finish it up by wet-sanding with 1500 grit if the Naval Jelly doesn't take care of it.

 

use some scotchbright on the lobes. i bought my comp xe 268 cam brand new from my machine shop for $50 bucks b/c it had some light surface rust on two of the lobes, it was still in the plastic and everything it was brand new but i guess it sat in a shed or something that got water in it and formed a little surface rust but whatever it dont matter i used the scotchbright and it cleaned it right up just like new.